Play My Music
by Maeke
Summary: Everyone knows it's music that makes the world go 'round. Response to the iPod Shuffle Challenge.


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A/N: this was written for the iPod shuffle challenge thingy--i wasn't tagged, but i wanted to do it anyway.

**Challenge: iPod/music player on shuffle. For the first ten songs that come up, write a story for them. Trick: however long the song is is how long you have to write it.**

**Disclaimer: Songs/characters are owned by those who created them. Which, 99.99 of the time, is not me.**

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**1. That's Just the Way We Roll; Jonas Brothers**

Shane Gray would be the first to admit that he and his brothers weren't exactly normal.

What other kind of brothers would wake up on a roof together—with no alcohol involved the night before? What other kind of brothers would argue over who could make a better birdhouse, how special the "no go-backs" rule was, who could wear tighter pants, who had the moves to win in a dance battle?

It was okay, though. People may laugh behind their backs, or think they played their music too loud, or call them freaks sometimes, but Shane could accept it. They were more than what people saw.

It was just the way they rolled.

**2. Divine Intervention; Taking Back Sunday**

Shane looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms, listening to needle scratch against blank record. He loved seeing her there so much, he just couldn't get up to put a new one on and risk waking her.

They had been spending the last few weeks together, working on recording 'This Is Me' and getting to know each other better. She had been so tired lately…but he didn't mind her taking naps, so long as they continued to be in his arms.

He had figured out some of his favorite things about her in the time they'd been spending together. The way she bit her lip when the producer yelled "Stop." How vicious she could be about Tess Tyler. The fact that she always woke up at five in the morning, but didn't always exactly stay up. How romantic she got when she was tired. Her smile.

She shifted in his arms, sighing and curling closer.

It had to have been divine intervention that had placed her there in his arms. Had to have been.

Or a well-placed loophole by his Uncle.

**3. Dance Like a Hippogriff, Weird Sisters**

Mitchie admitted to listening to the Harry Potter soundtrack.

She couldn't help it; Dance Like a Hippogriff always made her smile. Even if it was all fake, she could just imagine all those crazy, magical teenagers dancing to the song.

Then, once, while watching Shane perform, she realized she didn't really have to imagine _them_. She could just picture Shane.

He was definitely the most active of his brothers on stage, but that was explainable: they had guitars to worry about. While they definitely got into the music, they usually held their places down.

But Shane… He would jump around, as if trying to touch the sky. He would spin, as if trying to make himself dizzy. He would run around the stage randomly, as if following the call of the music. He just let the music take total control.

Not that Mitchie really minded. She needed someone to picture, and he was a whole lot cuter than Victor Krum.

**4. Rockin' Robin; Bobby Day**

"Hey, Mrs. Torres," Shane said, walking into the kitchen, where she was busy making hamburgers for dinner.

"Hey, Shane," she replied. "Mitchie's up in her room."

"Thanks," Shane replied, grinning. He took the stairs two at a time to Mitchie's room. He raised his hand up to knock, but then the music he heard coming from behind it made him reconsider. Was that…Rockin' Robin?

He opened the door quietly, just in time to see her belt out, "And bless my soul, he out-bopped the buzzard and the—Oriole!" to her mirror, her hairbrush positioned as a microphone.

He couldn't help himself; he laughed. She spun around, looking mortified. "Shane!"

Before she could start defending herself, he swept her into a dance, singing along as well. She laughed, allowing him to spin her around.

He loved that smile.

**5. Your Star; The All-American Rejects**

Tess looked at herself in the mirror, then the picture of her mother beside it. She hadn't noticed before how similar they actually were. She imitated the pout her mother had, before shaking her head and turning away.

Her mother hadn't really spoken to her much since the fiasco at camp, but then again, her mother didn't really speak to her much ever.

"Tess?" She glanced up; it was her mother. "Could I speak with you for a moment?"

Tess shrugged, which her mother took as an invitation. She came over and sat with Tess on her bed, but not too close. "Now, I know you've been a bit down lately because of camp. But you just need to get out there, try again. Hopefully another fiasco won't happen again, but…" She sighed, then placed a hand on Tess's knee. "Just remember, you're my star, okay?"

She stood to walk out of the room, believing they were finished. Tess disagreed.

"Your star?" Tess shook her head, as her mother stopped and turned around. "I don't think I'm anyone's star anymore, Mom. Especially not yours."

**6. The Angry Mob; Kaiser Chiefs**

Mitchie liked to call Shane's large number of screaming fans "The Angry Mob." It was mostly because as soon as they had heard Shane was off the market, they had turned slightly vicious toward the girl who had caught him.

Never mind that she was his inspiration, or that "Gotta Find You"—which was racing to the top of the charts—was written, essentially, for her, or even that she was a person with feelings and dreams. No, those things didn't matter. To the mob, she wasn't Mitchie Torres, aspiring singer/songwriter. She was Shane Gray's girlfriend, and that just wouldn't do.

She didn't exactly mind the label. She had to admit, she had fun torturing them. Kissing him in public was probably the most fun.

But it was when they were alone, and he was Mitchie Torres' boyfriend, that really mattered. Shane knew who she really was, and wouldn't let them change that.

**7. The Pitch (Spectacular Spectacular); Moulin Rouge**

Shane was going to do it.

He really was. It was all planned out for tonight; in the limo, on the way to dinner, after a day of promoting Connect 3's new album, _Play My Music_. He had even prepared a speech:

"Mitchie, I want to tell you something. These last few weeks I've come to realize that you…you inspire me. Not only musically, but…to be a better person, you know? I know I wouldn't be who I am today without you. And I know it's been kind of an unspoken thing, but I think it's time to tell you: I really, really like you. And…I was wondering…will you be my girlfriend? Officially?"

She would be speechless, but then would nod happily and tackle him with a cry of joy. There would maybe even be a kiss involved. It would be perfect, possibly even bordering on spectacular.

In the end, though, he was so nervous that all he could get out was, "Mitchie—will you be my girlfriend?"

He hoped her kiss meant yes; she hadn't nodded before tackling him.

**8. Xo; Fall Out Boy**

Mitchie was tired of this.

She may have been being a diva about it, but she was through.

She walked across the parking lot, leaving the hotel, the lights, the tour, everything. What had any of this done for her? Turned her into a diva, who ran out crying while people stared, not even with looks of sympathy.

"Mitchie!"

She even had leave Shane. As much as it broke her heart…she had to.

"Mitchie, stop! Please!"

Sighing, she did, and he ran to catch up. "Just where do you think you're going?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Anywhere but here."

"You can't just _leave_," he protested. "What about—what about the tour?"

"I can't, Shane. They're turning me into something I don't want to be!"

"What about us?" he said, taking her into his arms. She knew that was what he had wanted to say the first time. "Don't I mean anything to you?"

"Of course you do, but…" She stepped away, his arms falling from her. "I can't be here anymore. I have to go. I'm sorry." She began walking away.

"Mitchie, please!" he cried after her, but she shook her head, the tears starting again, then started running, her conscience and common sense left far behind.

Probably hiding in the hotel drawer with the bible.

**9. While My Guitar Gently Weeps; Across the Universe (The Beatles)**

Shane couldn't believe it.

She was gone. Officially. Forever. Gone.

He sat in his room for days, silent and unmovable. Nate, Jason, his mother, his father—they'd all tried to help, but nothing could.

Since they had gotten together, he hadn't been able to picture a day without her. Now he was forced to…and all he could see was the world merely still turning.

He didn't know why, how it had happened. She'd been fine, just fine, but then…

She'd started looking thinner. He'd thought it was just stress, and told her to get more sleep and stop staying out late after concerts. But then…the rumors started. The magazines and paparazzi wouldn't leave her alone. And she kept getting thinner.

"Mitchie, we need to get you help," Shane said, taking her to lunch to make sure she was eating.

"I'm fine," she said, barely picking at her salad. She was bony, and wearing layered clothing to try to hide herself. How could he have not noticed this sooner? He was supposed to be her boyfriend. Why hadn't he stopped it sooner?

By the time he had found her that night…it had been too late. She was gone.

All he had was his guitar…and even it was weeping.

**10. Fat-Bottomed Girls; Queen**

Jason had had it with these Hollywood girls.

They were all so small, so…insubstantial. Sure, they were beautiful. Model faces, blonde hair, blue eyes, size 0. But he needed…more.

Then he saw her, at a signing event; she was the kind of girl he had been looking for. Average face, brown hair, brown eyes…probably a size 16. She smiled shyly at him as he took her CD. "What's your name?" he'd asked, trying to avoid staring. Her smile was gorgeous.

"Janet."

He nodded, signing the CD. "Janet…pretty name."

"It's old-fashioned, but my mum was a bit obsessed with Rocky Horror Picture Show," she explained with a laugh. More than one word exposed an Australian accent.

"I've never seen it," he replied. "Is it good?"

"Sure, if you like Tim Curry in drag."

Jason cocked his head to the side. "I don't know if I would." They laughed together, and even though he'd only spoken nineteen words to her, he already knew he had found something special with this girl.

He realized he still had her CD, and gave it back, wondering if he should ask what he really wanted, as they continued lightly chatting. Finally, as she began turning away, he blurted out, "Could I…get your phone number?"

She'd blushed; it was adorable. "Why?"

"Why not?"

She had raised an eyebrow, but then stole the Sharpie out of his hand and proceeded to write a series of digits across the back of his left hand. "You're crazy, Jason Gray," she murmured while doing this.

"That's what they keep telling me."

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**You're supposed to tag people afterward, but I don't really know enough people to tag, so--the first four people to read/review it are tagged! ha!**

**hope you liked it!**


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